Created by National Geographic, the TV drama Genius will be taking on a new historical figure for its second season: Pablo Picasso. Antonio Banderas will take on the role of the influential Spanish artist. The drama will have ten episodes and will air in 2018.

Photos: Getty Images.

Banderas has had great success in movies. This will be his first jump from the big screen to the small screen. Genius had a very successful first season. It’s no surprise that Banderas accepted the gig.

The first season of the National Geographic show followed the life of Albert Einstein, brought to life by Geoffrey Rush. The show received 10 Emmy nominations.

For Banderas the pull of the show isn’t just the success and praise. He told The Hollywood Reporter about his fascination with Pablo Picasso. “The life story of Pablo Picasso has long since fascinated me, and I have so much respect for this man, who also comes from my birthplace Malaga,” said Banderas. “I am thrilled to work with [the] National Geographic … team to tell an authentic story of one of the most innovative painters in the world.”

A general view of the painting GUERNICA by the Spanish painter Pablo Picasso in the Madrid Museum. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

Pablo Picasso: A True Artistic Genius

Picasso was born to be an artist. His first word was “piz,” short for lápiz, the Spanish word for pencil. His father was an artist and professor and gave him an art education starting at age of seven. By the time Picasso was 13, his father gave up painting because he felt that his son had already surpassed him.

Picasso’s completed his first painting, Le Picador, at just nine years old. The piece shows a man riding a horse in a bullfight. He continued making art until his death in 1973.

Considered to be one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century, Picasso was a painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer. He was incredibly prolific in his lifetime. It has been estimated that he produced 1,885 paintings, 1,228 sculptures, 2,880 ceramics, roughly 12,000 drawings, and many thousands of prints.

Thanks to National Geographic and Antonio Banderas, we’ll see this prolific artist come to life on the small screen.